Conventional float valves have a valve adapted to close off an opening through which a fluid such as water flows into a container. To control the seating of the valve, for example, a ball-type float is connected to a lever in turn connected to the valve such that upon initial filling of the container, the location of the float maintains the valve open; however, as the container begins to fill, the float raises and begins closing the valve such that when the desired quantity of fluid has been received in the container, the float acts to completely seat or close the valve to prevent further fluid from entering the container through the opening.
To change the quantity of fluid passing into the container, or to vary the height of the fluid in the container at which the valve is closed, in one example a wing nut or other means of fastening the float to the valve is manipulated thereby enabling the position of the float to be changed relative to the stationary valve. The change further is normally manually made and quite often several adjustments need to be accomplished before the correct quantity or level is obtained.
Another example has the connecting end of the float rod threadably engaged with a valve lever, such that adjustment of the position of the float is effected by rotatably lengthening or shortening its extension from the valve, thereby effecting the closing of the valve and thus the level of fluid in the container.
This manual, trial-and-error method and apparatus for adjustment is made more difficult, time consuming, and frustrating by the fact that the manual adjustment requires disassembling the container to the extent that the normally enclosed float and valve connection is accessible to the person making the adjustment. Even the removal of a lid, as from a bathroom water closet, can present practical problems.